CNN
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The New York Yankees are just one win away from reaching the franchise’s first World Series since 2009.

The Yanks held off a resilient Cleveland Guardians team to earn a thrilling 8-6 victory in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night.

Powered by home runs from Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees avoided heartbreak for the second straight night and took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase was again stung by the Yankees’ offense, as he allowed two runs in the ninth innings in the loss. In Game 3, Clase gave up back-to-back home runs, but was saved by the Guardians’ late-game hit.

Teams that took a 3–1 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series won the series 79 out of 93 times, including 37 out of 45 times in the LCS.

“I want a ring, I want a ring,” Stanton said after the match. “Anything I can do to help us win. One step at a time, so this was a good step, we have a lot more work to do.”

“It was a big moment to strike the first blow. No lead is safe, but it was good to get the first blow, have a great battle back and forth and just be able to keep going.”

After a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 3, the Yankees came out swinging. Gleyber Torres set the tone with a leadoff single in the first inning. Moments later, Soto crushed a two-run home run to center field, giving New York an early 2-0 lead.

Cleveland responded quickly and cut the lead in half with an RBI sacrifice fly by José Ramírez in the bottom of the first. But New York’s attack continued. Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a solo home run 400 feet to center field in the third inning, extending the lead to 3-1.

The Guardians made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third when Josh Naylor drove in Steven Kwan with a single to left field, cutting the deficit to 3-2. However, the dangerous bats from the middle of the Yankees’ lineup had more in store.

After Soto walked and Aaron Judge followed with a single, both advanced on Jazz Chisolm Jr.’s sacrifice bunt. That set the stage for Stanton, who delivered again. He launched a three-run home run to left field – his fourth home run of the postseason – giving the Yankees a 6–2 lead.

Stanton’s explosion silenced the crowd at Progressive Field as he watched the ball enter the stands before walking around the bases and being greeted at home plate by his teammates.

Just when it looked like the Yankees were in control, Cleveland’s relentless offense sparked another potential comeback.

In the seventh inning, Brayan Rocchio walked, and the hot-hitting Kwan followed with a single off Yankees reliever Jake Cousins. As the Guardians threatened, Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to closer Clay Holmes to try to limit the damage.

Holmes faced David Fry for the first time, who had hit a walk-off home run off him in Game 3 and managed to retire him. However, José Ramírez hit an RBI double to make it 6-3. Naylor followed with a two-run single, cutting the Yankees’ lead to 6-5 and sending the Cleveland crowd into a frenzy.

In the eighth inning, with Cleveland down just one run, Fry tormented the Yankees again. He hit a comebacker to pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., who had trouble securing the ball, and failed to get the throw cleanly to Anthony Rizzo at first base, allowing Bo Naylor to score from third base and end the game tied at 6-6.

Despite climbing back into the game, Cleveland couldn’t find ninth-inning magic. Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle allowed two runners on base, but caused Rocchio to ground out, ending the game.

After the game, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt was asked about the team’s mentality ahead of a must-win game on Saturday.

“We are going to show ourselves and be ready to win. That’s what these guys are. When our backs are against the wall, we play our best baseball,” Vogt said confidently.

“We don’t give up. This team didn’t quit. It’s not the whole year yet. It doesn’t matter how we play – the day before, the days before – this team is going to show up with the same attitude and the same mentality as every day and that is ‘we’re going to win.’”

The Yankees are now one win away from winning their first AL pennant in 15 years. They can close out the best-of-seven series in Game 5 Saturday night in Cleveland.

After the game, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton said the team was still focused on the task at hand.

“It feels like nothing until we get it done,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we haven’t done anything.

“We’re enjoying this for now, but we have to finish it tomorrow and the next.”